Former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton has backed fellow Belfast fighter Anthony Cacace to take the next step in his "inspiring story" and knock out Josh Warrington at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night. While his IBF super-featherweight title is not on the line, Cacace has the chance to issue another impressive statement on a big stage after dethroning Joe Cordina in Riyadh in May.
Frampton lost to Warrington in a featherweight world title fight in 2018 but is confident Cacace will not fall to the Yorkshireman on the undercard of Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois' heavyweight title bout. "Although he's the older fighter, he's definitely the fresher fighter," Frampton said of Cacace. "Josh Warrington has been in one or two too many hard fights, even the ones he's won have been gruelling. That has an effect on you and takes something away from you. Anto's riding the crest of a wave at the moment, he's got the bit between his teeth and he's flying. You can see it when you talk to him and you look into your eyes, he means what he's saying. I think Anto wins by KO in the second half of the fight."
Cacace's Rise to the Top
A professional fighter since 2012, Cacace fought on the undercard of Frampton's memorable world title win over Kiko Martinez in Belfast in 2014, but for years his big break eluded him. But after beating Michael Magnesi to win the IBO super-featherweight title in September 2022, he earned a shot at Cordina after overcoming Damian Wrzesinski in Belfast. And with the Andersonstown fighter having overwhelmed the Welshman on the undercard of Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's heavyweight unification bout in Saudi Arabia, he now has the chance to light up another big bill against Warrington, who is making his debut at 130lb. "It's such an inspiring story, what Anto's done," added Frampton. "A year ago, he was delivering Chinese [food] as a way to keep living and keep feeding his family. Boxing wasn't paying much, he was having one fight a year for the last five years. It's been really inspiring. If you're waiting on that break and if it hasn't come, just look at people like Anto Cacace. Going from what he was doing and not having a bean really not that long ago, [if he] beats Warrington, one more fight and he's a millionaire. It's an amazing story."
Frampton says that while Cacace's greatest asset is his punching power, keeping his emotions in check will be crucial to battling past Warrington, several of whose fights has featured head clashes including a 2021 bout with Mauricio Lara that ended in a technical draw after the Mexican suffered a cut above his eye. "His temperament sometimes can be...he's a hot-head," Frampton said of Cacace. "I hope he doesn't see red. Josh Warrington, he gets away with it, but he bulls in with his head and Anto will get hit by Josh's head on Saturday night whether he likes it or not. I hope he keeps his temperament, keeps his cool and doesn't blow up."
A Civil Pre-Fight Atmosphere
Anthony Cacace and Josh Warrington side-stepped a pre-fight war of words during Thursday's press conference. Amidst a frenzy of increasingly stressed camera operators and visibly disgruntled fighters, Anthony Cacace appeared the calmest man in the room. There was a lot of the usual verbal sparring at Thursday's news conference for the undercard of Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois' world heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium. Cacace and Josh Warrington paid it no mind. Unperturbed by the spiky atmosphere in the spectacular surroundings of Guildhall, the two men kept their exchanges refreshingly civil just 48 hours out from their eagerly-anticipated super-featherweight bout. Saying Warrington was in for a "tough night" was pretty much as far as IBF super-featherweight champion Cacace went. Warrington, too, was content to avoid pre-fight theatrics. "You'll not get any screaming or shouting from me," he said. But don't let the muted preamble fool you: this is a big fight for both men.
For Warrington, a two-time world featherweight champion stepping up to super-featherweight for the first time, it is a new chapter. The Yorkshireman comes into Saturday's contest bruised, his last two outings having ended in defeats by Luis Alberto Lopez and Leigh Wood. While Warrington - in the throes of an intriguing reinvention - clearly has a point to prove, his big-fight experience is undeniable, his epic win over Carl Frampton in 2018 a regular reference point this week.
The Stakes Are High For Both Fighters
On the other hand, as Cacace said himself on Thursday, this is all new to him. He has been a world champion for four months. For a long time - between injuries and last-minute fight cancellations - Cacace had good reason to believe he would never reach such heights. For years, his chosen craft stubbornly refused to yield the opportunities his talent warranted. That all changed in May. His stunning upset win over Joe Cordina in Riyadh has altered his life. And having waited so long, he is not taking his newfound success for granted. For him, nothing has changed. While Warrington can not take the IBF belt home on Saturday, Cacace can lose it. The significance of such a scenario is not lost on the 35-year-old. "I've got what I always wanted out of boxing but now I feel like I belong here," said Cacace, who has won all but one of the 19 professional fights that have spanned his 12-year career. "I need to do more in this game for my own legacy. I want to keep winning. Josh Warrington, he's a very, very good fighter. I know I'm in for a hell of a fight, but I'll do my best to get through it."
The IBF's Controversial Decision
Anthony Cacace defeated Joe Cordina in May to win the IBF world super-featherweight title. Anthony Cacace's IBF world super-featherweight title will not be on the line against Josh Warrington at Wembley on Saturday. Cacace defeated Joe Cordina in May to win the world title, but The IBF has said that while the Belfast boxer can face Warrington, his title will not be up for grabs. The sanctioning body has granted permission for Cacace to fight Warrington, who was not considered a challenger because of his inactivity in the super- featherweight division and was subsequently unranked. Warrington is a former world champion in the featherweight class and was stepping up a weight against Cacace, whose IBO world title that he has held since 2022 will be on the line in London. While Warrington cannot take the IBF title off the 35-year-old, the incumbent will vacate his belt if he is beaten at Wembley. However, should Cacace win, he will face a mandatory defence against Mexico's Eduardo Nunez before 20 March next year. Cacace said he wanted both to fight for both titles against Warrington and he "doesn't know" why the two belts are not on the line on the Anthony Joshua v Daniel Dubois undercard. "It's for the IBO world title. The IBF isn't on the line," Cacace told BBC Sport. "You would need to talk to Frank [Warren, Cacace's promoter] and everybody else behind the scenes about that. I wanted it on the line. I've known for weeks. It's not one bit of bother to me, but at the same time I don't really understand what the hell is going on."
A Bold Claim
Since defeating Cordina, Cacace said it has been nice to be called a world champion but he wants to keep on winning. "I'm not satisfied with just being champion. I want to beat these top guys and continue doing what I'm doing." Cacace admits that Warrington is a "hard man" but he is a "better boxer" than the Leeds fighter. The 33-year-old hasn't fought since losing to Leigh Wood in October and also lost his previous bout with Luis Alberto Lopez. "He's going to bring the fight. I believe he is a warrior. In terms of boxing, I think I'm an all-round better fighter than Josh. He is a good guy and he always gives his best. He's been unlucky in his last couple of fights, he's been fighting at a really high level and fallen a wee bit short." Speaking to BBC Sport in London, Cacace touched on his friendship with former two-weight world champion Carl Frampton, who has supported him throughout his career. "Carl told me at the start of my career, 'you're going to be a world champion'," he recalled. "I clung to that and it's nice that he turned out to be right. When I was with him in London he kind of looked after me to a certain degree and helped me out with small bits and pieces. I appreciate Carl, he's a good lad and I'm sure he would do that for anybody else too."
A Bold Prediction: Cacace Will Win
Cacace is confident in his ability to win against Warrington, predicting that he'll win by KO. Although the title won't be on the line, Cacace's determination and skill are sure to make this fight a nail-biter. The fight will not only determine the future of Cacace's career but also the potential for a new era in the super-featherweight division. The upcoming fight between Cacace and Warrington promises to be a thrilling spectacle for boxing fans worldwide, with the potential for an explosive showdown. Cacace's rise through the ranks and Warrington's drive to prove himself will undoubtedly make this an unforgettable match-up.
